Abortion in the United States

==Medical abortion==
[[Medical abortion]] via [[mifepristone]] and [[misoprostol]] was approved for abortion in the United States by the FDA in September 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=FDA approval letter for Mifepristone| publisher=FDA |date=28 September 2000|access-date=16 September 2006|url=https://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/appletter/2000/20687appltr.htm |archive-url = http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20011116012552/http%3A//www%2Efda%2Egov/cder/foi/appletter/2000/20687appltr%2Ehtm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 16 November 2001 }}</ref> {{As of|2007}}, it was legal and available in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., [[Guam]], and [[Puerto Rico]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Medication Abortion in the United States: Mifepristone Fact Sheet |year=2005 |publisher=Gynuity Health Projects |url=http://www.gynuity.org/documents/mife_fact_sheet.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070924010831/http://www.gynuity.org/documents/mife_fact_sheet.pdf |archive-date=24 September 2007 }}</ref> It was a prescription drug, and required that it could only be distributed to the public through specially qualified licensed physicians.<ref name="pmid28094905">{{Cite journal|vauthors=Jones RK, Jerman J|date=March 2017|title=Abortion Incidence and Service Availability In the United States 2014|url=https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2017/01/abortion-incidence-and-service-availability-united-states-2014|journal=Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health|volume=49-1|issue=1|pages=17–27|doi=10.1363/psrh.12015|pmid=28094905|pmc=5487028|access-date=16 October 2017|archive-date=17 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017044955/https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2017/01/abortion-incidence-and-service-availability-united-states-2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic on December 16, 2021, in light of the difficulties in accessing in-person healthcare services, the FDA approved the distribution of mifepristone via mail.<ref name="webmd-stay-available-by-mail">{{cite web |title=FDA Allows Abortion Pill to Stay Available by Mail |url=https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20211217/fda-allows-abortion-pill-to-stay-available-by-mail |website=WebMD |access-date=22 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref> In states where abortion is banned or restricted, women are able to obtain pills through ordering from overseas online pharmacies, purchasing from pharmacies in Mexico, from services such as [[Aid Access]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kimball |first=Spencer |title=Women in states that ban abortion will still be able to get abortion pills online from overseas |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/27/women-in-states-that-ban-abortion-will-still-be-able-to-get-abortion-pills-online-from-overseas.html |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=CNBC |date=June 27, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> or through a network of U.S.-Mexico border organizations that includes Red Necesito Abortar, {{ill|Las Libres|es}}, and [[Green Wave (abortion rights)|Marea Verde]].<ref name="msmagazine/marea-verde">{{cite news |title='Marea Verde' Feminist Collective Defends the Right To Decide in Mexico: "Sick and Tired of Seeing Our Sisters Go to Jail" – Ms. Magazine |url=https://msmagazine.com/2022/01/10/marea-verde-feminist-mexico-abortion-legal/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |work=[[Ms. (magazine)|Ms.]]}}</ref><ref name="bbc/news/61874921">{{cite news |title='I need an abortion': The text that gets pills sent in secret |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61874921 |access-date=22 September 2022 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=25 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="dallasnews/influx-of-us-women">{{cite news |title=Abortion doulas in Mexico anticipate influx of U.S. women seeking abortions |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2022/07/05/abortion-doulas-in-mexico-anticipate-influx-of-us-women-seeking-abortions/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |work=[[Dallas News]] |date=5 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="diario.mx/1934398">{{cite news |last1=Sánchez |first1=Alejandra |title=Ayudan chihuahuenses a mujeres de EU a abortar |url=https://diario.mx/estado/ayudan-chihuahuenses-a-mujeres-de-eu-a-abortar-20220525-1934398.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |work=[[El Diario de Juárez]] |date=25 May 2022 |language=es |quote=El Diario de Chihuahua}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-18 |title=Covert network provides pills for thousands of abortions in U.S. post Roe |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/18/illegal-abortion-pill-network/ |access-date=2023-02-27 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice stated that USPS mailing of pills for medication abortion, even into states where abortion services are restricted, does not violate federal law.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=2023-01-04 |title=U.S. Postal Service can continue to deliver prescription abortion medication, DOJ says |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-postal-service-can-continue-deliver-prescription-abortion-medication-doj-2023-01-03/ |access-date=2023-02-27}}</ref> In 2023, online access to abortion medication by mail delivered by the US Postal Service is currently available to citizens of all states.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-15 |title=Get abortion pills by mail in all 50 U.S. states. The help desk and Aid Access doctors are here to support you through the whole online order process. |url=https://aidaccess.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415080619/https://aidaccess.org/ |archive-date=2023-04-15 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=www.aidaccess.org}}</ref>

{{main|Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA}}
In light of the ''Dobbs'' decision, the [[Alliance Defending Freedom]] launched a lawsuit in November 2022 in the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas|Northern District of Texas]] under Judge [[Matthew J. Kacsmaryk]] to seek to overturn the FDA's original approval of mifepristone. The Alliance argued that the FDA had ignored some studies that showed the medication to have harmful side effects, while the current federal administration under Joe Biden, the manufacturers of the drugs, and several doctors vouched for the safety of the drugs and the lack of standing in the plaintiff's case. Despite this, Judge Kacsmaryk ruled for the Alliance on April 7, 2023, reversing the FDA's approval and banning mifepristone across the United States after seven days.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/07/texas-abortion-pill-ruling-mifepristone/ | title = Texas judge suspends FDA approval of abortion pill mifepristone | first1 =  Ann E. | last1= Marimow | first2= Caroline | last2 = Kitchener | first3 = Perry | last3 = Stein | date = April 7, 2023 | accessdate = April 7, 2023 | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] }}</ref> A district judge in a separate lawsuit, [[Thomas O. Rice]] of the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington|Eastern District of Washington]], ruled that the FDA should not reverse access to mifepristone in 16 states.<ref name="pillSCOTUS">{{cite web|title=With Dueling Rulings, Abortion Pill Cases Appear Headed to the Supreme Court|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/08/us/politics/abortion-pill-supreme-court.html|last1=VanSickle|first1=Abbie|last2=Belluck|first2=Pam|website=The New York Times|date=April 8, 2023|access-date=April 13, 2023}}</ref> Kacsmaryk's ruling was partially reversed by a panel on the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit|Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals]], leaving mifepristone on the market but reverting efforts made by the FDA to liberalize its use over seven years.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cheney|first1=Kyle|last2=Gerstein|first2=Josh|last3=Ollstein|first3=Alice|title=Appeals court keeps abortion pill on the market but sharply limits access|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/13/appeals-court-keeps-mifepristone-on-the-market-but-sharply-limits-access-00091840|website=Politico|date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 13, 2023}}</ref> The case is expected to be ruled on by the Supreme Court.<ref name="pillSCOTUS" /> Mifepristone is used for abortion in the tenth week of pregnancy. With the fact reported by the [[Guttmacher Institute]], that more than half of abortion in the US is done with drugs,<ref name="Guttmacher_2022-02"/> the judge's decision will have a strong consequence.<ref name="Gambino">{{cite news |last1=Gambino |first1=Lauren |title=Democrats condemn judge's 'draconian' decision threatening abortion drug |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/08/abortion-pill-mifepristone-democrats-republicans |website=The Guardian|date=April 8, 2023 }}</ref>